Picture hanger



March 17, 1959 Y, SUTTON ETA; j 2,877,972

PICTURE HANGER Filed Sept. 14, 1953 CREEL Y JUrrou m4 PAUL B. STRONG .R/c/rs STRQNG United States PatentO PICTURE HANGER Creel Y. Sutton, Paul B. Strong, and Ricks Strong, Dallas, Tex.; said Sutton assignor to George R. Strong, Dallas,

I I Tex.

Application September 14, 1953, Serial No. 379,986

1 Claim. Cl. 248-32) order to raise, lower or level a picture on the wall. The

invention affords a medium by which a wall picture may be adjusted in relation to both the vertical and the hori- 'zontal plane without need for shortening or lengthening supporting cords or changing the position of the hanger on the wall. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a hanger for wall pictures, mirrors or the like which has three points with which the picture cord or wire is engaged to provide for the foregoing adjustments and to insure against displacement of the picture from adjusted positions, the intermediate point of engagement being composed of a depending prong or tongue under which the picture wire is threaded.

Other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when considered with the annexed drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the invention in position on a wall and supporting a picture, the latter being shown in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the invention per se, illustrating by dotted lines various positions which may be assumed by a picture cord.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken plane of the line 4-4 in Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a front elevational view illustrating the invention applied to a wall in inverted position for supporting unusually heavy objects.

Figure 6 is a front perspective view of a modified form of the invention, and

Figure 7 is a front elevational view of a further modification of the invention.

This is a continuation-in-part of our application, Serial Number 323,6l4, filed December 2, 1952, now abandoned.

Continuing with a more detailed description of the drawing, reference is made primarily to Figures 1 to 5, inclusive, wherein numeral 10 denotes generally the picture hanger as a whole and which embodies in its construction a plate 11, in one edge of which is formed semicircular recesses 12, which define an intermediate tongue 13, to which further and more specific reference will be made presently. 0n opposite sides of the tongue 13 are legs 14 whose extremities 15 are bent forwardly at an angle in relation to the base plate 11.

The upper edge of the plate 11 is formed integrally with an obliquely disposed flange 16. Registering apertures 17 and 18 are made respectively in the flange 16 and plate 11 to receive a nail 19 or the like, driven into a wall to support the hanger. A careful examination substantially in the 2 of Figure 2 will reveal that the plate 11 is slightly curved 'in a transverse plane so that the ends of the plate will first engage the wall to provide spring-back at the midsection of the plate where the supporting nail is driven.

Projections 20 are made in each upper corner of the plate 11 to extend rearwardly thereof and penetrate the wall surface slightly when the supporting nail 19 is driven, thus to prevent pivoting of the hanger on the nail. The nail holes 17 and 18 are of different diameters to accommodate nails of different sizes in keeping with variations in weight of the objects to be supported by the hanger. Along each side edge of the plate 11 is formeda row of forwardly and upwardly extending keeper hooks 21, the books on one side corresponding in position to the hooks on the opposite side of the plate 11. These hooks are adapted to be selectively engaged by the usual suspension wire or cord 22 of a picture mirror, or the like. Leveling of the suspended object may be quickly accomplished by selectively engaging the suspension cord with the hooks 21 in the manner suggested in Figure 3.

While the spaced apart hooks 21 are highly effective in providing a leveling means for pictures as well as a means to prohibit displacement of pictures from leveled position, it has been found that even better results can be had by providing three points of engagement of the picture cord with the hanger. This is accomplished through the addition of the tongue or threading prong 13, previously mentioned. This tongue is made to curve slightly outward, as shown in Figure 4 so that the picture supporting cord may be passed or threaded under the tongue 13 between the points where the cord passes over the hooks 21 on opposite sides of the tongue. This arrangement enables the person hanging a picture to better hold a picture while adjustments are being made by raising or lowering first one side and then the other to engage the supporting cord with selected hooks 21. Moreover, the three points of contact between the cord and the hanger, as provided by the tongue 13, positively insure that the picture will remain in an adjusted position.

In Figure 5 is shown the described hanger 10 in inverted position on a wall. In so mounting the hanger, the supporting nails 19 are passed through matching apertures a and b made in the angular ends 15 of legs 14 and in the legs of the hanger, respectively, and are driven into the wall. In this position, the hanger is capable of supporting objects of greater weight, the supporting cord being disposed in the channel defined by the oblique flange 16 whose length affords greater friction on the cord to prevent its accidental displacement. If desired, the cord may be passed under the tongue 13 to further insure against displacement thereof.

In Figure 6 is shown a modified form of the invention wherein numeral 30 designates the hanger as a whole. The hanger is composed of a plate 31, in one edge of which is formed recesses 32, defining on each side a leg 33 and intermediate the legs, a depending tongue 34. Adjacent each end of the plate 31 and longitudinally of the legs 33 is a row of upturned hooks 35, struck out of the plate. Similarly, a row of downturned hooks 36 extends longitudinally of' the tongue 34 parallel with the rows of hooks 35. r

The plate 31 has an oblique flange 37 along its upper edge which extends outwardly and downwardly in relation to the plate. Nail receiving holes 38 are made in both the flange and plate to enable the hanger to be aifixed to a wall.

The modification 40, shown in Figure 7, is not unlike the form shown in Figure 6 except for the hooks 41 along 0 each end of the plate 42. The tongue 43 is defined by the semicircular recesses 44 formed in the lower edge of the plate 42 and has a longitudinal row of hooks 45 struck from the tongue to extend outwardly and downwardly.

A flange 46 is formed along the top edge of the plate 42 and matched nail holes 47 and 48 are made in the flange for receiving a supporting nail. The flange 46 extends outwardly and downwardly as in Figures 1 to 3 and bottom flanges 49 and 50 are provided for the same purpose as explained for the form of the invention shown in these figures.

To hang a picture by means of either form of the invention shown in Figures 6 and 7, the cord is passed over a hook in one of the end rows of hooks, thence under ahook in the intermediate row in the tongue and finally over a selected hook in the companion end row. The cord is changed from one to the other of the hooks of each row until the picture is level and disposed at the desired height.

Manifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claim is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

What is claimed is:

A picture hanger comprising an elongated sheet metal plate having a generally rectangular outline and normally disposed with a longitudinal edge uppermost, the plate being curved about a transverse axis and having an integral flange coextensive with said longitudinal edge, the flange being inclined outwardly and downwardly and having an aperture in its nndsechon in registration with 0 an aperture in the plate adapted to receive a nail for securing the plate to a wall surface, projections at each upper corner of the plate for engagement with a wall surface to hold the plate against rotative displacement about its point of securement on the wall surface, a pair of legs defined, respectively, by the ends of the plate and by spaced apart recesses originating in the longitudinal edge of the plate opposite the first mentioned longitudinal edge, the legs each having an outwardly and upwardly inclined flanged lower end, each having an aperture in registration with an aperture in the leg adapted to receive a supporting nail, an outwardly curved tongue of substantially V shape in transverse section extending outwardly and downwardly between the recesses and having side edges converging to a point at the bottom midsection-of theplate, under which a picture wire is engaged, and a row of outwardly and upwardly directed hooks at each end of the plate for selective engagement by the picture wire on opposite sides of the tongue.

Referencq Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,313,366 Wright Aug. 19, 1919 1,999,575 Reute-r et al Apr. 30, 1935 2,025,717 Blackburn Dec. 31, 1935 2,099,332 DiNucco Nov. 16, 1937 2,137,837 Freudeuberger Nov. 22, 1938 2,161,674 Heiudl June 6, 1939 2,495,477 Raitt Jan. 24, 1950 2,657,887 White Nov. 3, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 14,638 Great Britain Oct. 27, 1887 18,356 Great Britain Sept. 13, 1901 51,315 Sweden Mar. 29, 1922 665,567 Great Britain Jan. 23, 1952 

